A theorist, organist, and conductor, Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004), and did graduate work in Musicology. He serves as choirmaster for the new FSSP parish in Los Angeles, where he resides with his wife and children.

The first piece of great music I ever fell in love with was Bach’s Mass in b minor, which is also simply called the “Great Mass.” I’ve listened to this piece for close to two decades, and it still gets better and better with each passing day. Although it is not liturgically appropriate for the Catholic Mass, it is still a great piece of music. I’m not sure I would argue with someone who claimed it was the greatest piece of music ever composed. I’m really not at all sure I would argue with such a claim.

By far, my favorite recording of this piece is . . . (are you ready??!!) . . . the early recording by Robert Shaw. I’m aware that some will be very upset I’ve admitted this. They will say, “The tempi are so slow! The singing so thick with vibrato! Etc.”

All I can say is that even after almost twenty years this is still my favorite recording . . . by far!

Of course I love every movement. The KYRIE, the GLORIA, etc. Each movement is spectacular. Words cannot express how great each movement is. However, I think (perhaps) that the greatest movement of all may be the GRATIASAGIMUSTIBI (which is identical to the DONANOBISPACEM with the exception of some brass ornamentation towards the end).

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